II

Like a swarm of wasps which have their nest by the roadside, and being

ever provoked by wanton children wreak their vengeance on some harmless

wayfarer; so flew the Myrmidons to join the fray, and soon the Trojans

felt their sting. "For Achilles and for honour!" shouted Patroclus, as

he hurled his spear, and struck down Pyræchmes, the savage leader of a

wild mountain tribe from northern Greece. The rude clansmen fled when

they saw their leader fall, and soon the panic spread to the whole

Trojan army, and they too fled, leaving the burning ship, the flames of

which were soon quenched by a score of eager hands. Like a cloud which

lies heavy on a mountain top, and is then suddenly rent and dispersed,

revealing all the long range of countless hills, peak beyond peak, far

away to the distant sea, with green glades between, and above the

boundless chasm of sky, up to the dazzling zenith: so was dispersed

that cloud of Trojans which had hung about the ships, and the Greeks

saw the fair face of Hope again.

But the end of that long and bloody day was still far off. Outside the

barriers the Trojans rallied again, and a fearful slaughter ensued.

There the sword of Patroclus bit deep, making dire havoc among the

ranks of the Lycians, until Sarpedon, their leader, incensed by the

slaughter of his men, sprang from his car, and threw himself in the

way, to arrest that destroying hand.

Like two vultures, which tear each other with beak and claw, fighting

with loud screams on a lofty crag, so leapt the two champions, the

Lycian and the Greek, upon each other, uttering loud their battle-cry.

When Zeus saw his son Sarpedon about to engage in deadly combat with

Patroclus he was filled with pity, for he knew that the Lycian

chieftain was going to his doom. "How sayest thou, Hera," he began,

"shall I save him, and waft him away in a cloud to his fair domain in

Lycia, or shall I leave him to his fate?"

"That must not be," answered Hera. "His thread is spun, and his life

is forfeit; shouldst thou annul that decree it will be an evil example

to the other gods, who will forthwith all seek to avert the stroke of

fate from their sons, of whom many are fighting in the fields of Troy.

If thou wouldst do him honour, send Death and gentle Sleep to bear him

softly, after he has fallen, from the battlefield, and bring him to his

kinsfolk in Lycia, that they may pay him the rites which are due to the

mighty dead."

"Thou hast persuaded me," answered Zeus, bowing his immortal head in

sorrow. And he caused a rain of blood to fall upon the earth, in sad

tribute to the heroic spirit which was about to pass away.

While this debate was proceeding, the struggle had already begun. In

the first cast of their spears both warriors missed their aim.

Patroclus slew the comrade of Sarpedon, while Sarpedon's lance struck

Pedasus, the mortal steed, in the shoulder, and he fell dead. His

immortal companions plunged wildly, striving to break away from the

yoke when they saw their comrade slain. But Automedon cut the traces

by which the slaughtered steed was attached to the car; and, being rid

of their sad burden, Xanthus and Balius were once more obedient to the

rein.

Again the heroes flung their spears, and the weapon of Sarpedon flew

over his antagonist's left shoulder. But the spear of Patroclus sank

deep into Sarpedon's breast, and he fell, writhing in his death agony,

and sending forth loud groans, like a bull when he feels the lion's

claws tearing his flanks. So raged Sarpedon in the pangs of death, and

rolling his eyes he sought the familiar face of his beloved Glaucus.

"Friend of my heart!" he cried, "valiant Glaucus, companion of all my

toils, now must thou prove thy manly worth. Rally round thee the

stoutest of the Lycians, and let not thy foot go back, or thy hand

cease from slaying, until thou hast saved my body from the Greeks. To

thee I shall be a reproach, and a hanging of the head, even unto thy

life's end, if thou leave me, a rifled and dishonoured corpse, in the

hands of the foe."

Even as he spoke, death stopped his breath and darkened his eyes. And

Patroclus set his foot on the corpse, and drew forth his spear, while

the Myrmidons took possession of the empty car with its affrighted

steeds.

Glaucus was in dire distress when he heard his dying comrade's voice.

But he was disabled by the wound which he had received in scaling the

wall. Nursing his injured arm, he prayed aloud to Apollo: "Hear me, O

King, whether thou art now in Lycia or in Troy; for thine ear is ever

open to the cry of need, however far away. My hand is maimed, and my

arm is burning with sharp pains, so that I cannot wield my spear,

though Sarpedon is fallen, and his father hath forsaken him. So

forsake thou not me, but heal my wound, and give me back my strength,

that I may save his body from outrage."

Apollo heard, and granted his prayer, and straightway the flow of his

blood was stopped, and he felt in his body that he was healed of his

hurt. Then Glaucus was glad, and he made all haste to do his comrade's

bidding. First he called to the men of Lycia to do battle for their

slaughtered captain, and then he went to rouse the Trojan leaders to do

their duty by their great ally. Finding Hector engaged in another part

of the field, he reproached him for his neglect. "Hast thou

forgotten," he asked indignantly, "what thou owest to us, who have come

on a far journey to shed our blood for thee and thy country? Cold lies

Sarpedon, chief pillar of thine allies; come, friends, and help us to

save his corpse, or ye will be shamed for ever."

This was bitter news for the Trojans, who reverenced Sarpedon as the

chief corner-stone of their defence; and they rushed with one accord to

avenge his death. Patroclus on his side summoned the bravest of the

Greeks to his aid, and the whole fury of the struggle was now centred

in the place where the dead Sarpedon lay.

The first who fell in this new battle was a friend of Patroclus, who

years ago had found a new home in the house of Peleus, having been

banished from his own country for the murder of his cousin. He was now

struck down by a stone from the hand of Hector; and Patroclus, in his

anger at his comrade's death, made so furious an assault that the

Trojans gave way before him about the length of a spear's cast. Then

Glaucus advanced again, and slew Bathycles, a man of high note among

the Myrmidons; and Meriones on the other side killed Laogonus, the

priest of Idæan Zeus. Æneas, ever famed for his piety, hurled his

spear at Meriones, hoping to avenge the fall of that sacred head; but

Meriones stooped low, and the spear flew over his head, and sunk deep

in the ground, with quivering shaft, just behind him. "The Cretan can

dance, I see!" shouted Æneas; "he comes from a land of dancers." "Thou

shall dance to my piping, before thou hast done," answered Meriones

derisively. "Thinkest thou that we owe thee a life for every cast of

thy spear?" "Peace!" said Patroclus, rebuking him. "We must fight

with our swords, not with our tongues, if we would do aught worthy

here."

Thick and fast rained the blows, on shield and helmet and mailed

breast, as the two armies closed again, and the sound was as of an army

of woodmen plying their axes together in a deep mountain glade. In the

midst lay the lifeless Sarpedon, covered from head to foot with

javelins, and blood, and dust, so that his dearest friend could not

have recognised his face. Like flies buzzing round a milk pail, so

thronged the Greeks and Trojans round the body.

Zeus sat watching the battle, pondering in his heart what measure of

glory he should mete out to Patroclus before he laid him low by the arm

of Hector. At last, having taken his resolve, he caused a coward

spirit to enter into Hector's heart, and the Trojan captain wheeled his

car, and fled towards the city. The panic spread to the other Trojans,

and the Lycians, and they retreated, leaving the body of Sarpedon in

the hands of the Greeks, who despoiled it of its armour, and were about

to do it further dishonour when a higher power intervened. In the very

act of violating the dead, they saw their lifeless victim snatched from

them by an invisible hand; for Apollo had received the commands of

Zeus, and bore away the soiled and blackened body to the riverside,

where he washed it clean, anointed it with ambrosia, and gave it, robed

in immortal raiment, into the charge of Sleep and Death, for safe and

speedy conveyance to Lycia.